Johnny Depp Is Officially in Talks to Return for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6′

Disney’s D23 fan event has delivered plenty of headline-grabbing announcements this weekend, from new casting reveals to fresh footage for some of the studio’s biggest upcoming projects. But one update didn’t come from a stage presentation at all, arriving instead through a casual carpet interview that quickly overshadowed some of the weekend’s more formal reveals entirely.

The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean‘ franchise has sat dormant since 2017’s ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales,’ the lowest-grossing entry in a series that has otherwise pulled in $4.5 billion at the global box office across five films. That long gap, combined with years of uncertainty over whether Depp would ever return to the role that made him a household name, has left fans wondering exactly what direction Disney would take the franchise next.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer put that uncertainty to rest, at least partially, during a carpet interview with Deadline at D23. Asked directly about the status of a sixth ‘Pirates’ film, Bruckheimer confirmed that talks with Depp are actively underway, saying, “We’re talking to Johnny. We’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done.”

Reaction across social media was immediate and largely celebratory, with fans expressing relief at the prospect of Depp reclaiming the role that has become inseparable from the franchise’s identity. That excitement follows Depp’s own recent return to the public eye, including a surprise San Diego Comic-Con appearance in character as Ebenezer Scrooge to promote his upcoming film ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.’

Despite the excitement around Depp’s potential involvement, Deadline reports that sources close to the project suggest the next installment won’t be built entirely around another Jack Sparrow-led adventure. Instead, the film is expected to focus primarily on a new protagonist played by Margot Robbie, with Sparrow appearing in a smaller, supporting capacity rather than carrying the story himself.

That Robbie-led concept has been in development on and off since 2020, when Disney first confirmed plans for a female-led spinoff. Robbie told Vanity Fair in 2022 that Disney had cooled on the project at the time, though Bruckheimer has previously pushed back on that characterization, telling Entertainment Weekly that the studio remained interested in bringing both versions of the franchise to life.

Depp’s absence from the franchise followed his highly publicized legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, after which Disney opted not to bring him back for further ‘Pirates’ installments. Bruckheimer has remained one of Depp’s most consistent public supporters throughout that period, telling Entertainment Weekly in an earlier interview that if Depp liked how the role was written, he believed the actor would return.

Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, who wrote ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales,’ had reportedly been attached to the new script as of last year, with Bruckheimer previously praising his work on the project’s third act. Whether Nathanson remains involved as the screenplay continues development alongside these renewed conversations with Depp has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear how close the project actually is to a finished draft.

With no finalized deal, script, or release date yet in place, a sixth ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film remains very much in development rather than a locked reality. Still, Bruckheimer’s comments mark the clearest sign yet that Disney is seriously working to bring Depp back into the fold after years of speculation.

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